Murderer Gets Life Without Parole

A Lennox gang member convicted of shooting a man to death and then talking a friend into murdering a witness to the crime was sentenced Friday to four consecutive life terms in state prison, including one without possibility of parole.

Pedro (Wacc) Diego, 25, showed no emotion as Torrance Superior Court Judge Jean Matusinka set his sentence.

Jurors last month convicted Diego of second-degree murder for shooting 40-year-old Charles Long to death in front of several witnesses on a Lennox street corner on July 12, 1989. Jurors also concluded that Diego conspired with his friend, Bennie (Ben Dog) Bellfield, who murdered 15-year-old Renee Johnson after Diego heard that she had revealed details about the Long shooting to police.

During the trial, witnesses testified that Bellfield forced his way into Johnson’s Osage Avenue apartment at 3 a.m. on Sept. 16, 1989, and opened fire with a shotgun.

Johnson was struck at point-blank range and died instantly. Her mother, 46-year-old Ann Johnson, was shot in the stomach and thigh. Although seriously injured, she survived the attack. Another relative, Tony Patton, narrowly escaped injury in the attack.

Under Matusinka’s sentence, Diego must first complete a term of 28 years to life for the Long murder, then must serve a life sentence for Ann Johnson’s injuries and a life sentence for the attack on Patton. If paroled on all of those charges, Diego would then begin serving a sentence of life without possibility of parole for Renee Johnson’s death.

Bellfield is scheduled to be sentenced June 5.